Keyboard embossing machine



Sept. 26, 1961 e. GUTTEL ETAL 3,001,624

' KEYBOARD EMBOSSING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1959 (EGG GO OOG Inventors G .Gmve

United States Patent 8 3,001,624 KEYBOARD EMBGSSING MACHINE Gerhard Giittel, Berlin, Heinrich Schulz, Berlin-Steglitz,

and Heinrich Ditzel, Beriin-Niederschonhausen, Germany, assignors to Adrema-Werke G.m.b.H., Berlin,

Germany Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,032 Claims priority, application Germany July 3, 1958 3 Claims. (Cl. 197--6.6)

The invention relates to an embossing machine, more particularly a keyboard embossing machine with electric drive and disc-shaped type carriers for embossing addressprinting plates and the like letter plates. In the known machines of this kind, the rotatable type carriers including the holder for the address-printing plate are mounted above a base plate, while the driving elements, such as motor, clutch and operating rods are mounted below the base plate, being suspended from or secured to a table frame carrying said base plate. Such machines require large space dimensions and have the drawback of considerable weight. It is the object of the invention to provide a readily transportable table embossing machine. An essential feature of the invention is that both the driving motors for actuating the type carries and for carrying out the embossing operation, as well as the type adjuster and the shift clutches for the type carrier motion and the embossing operation, including the associated transmission elements, are mounted above a machine base plate.

An embossing machine according to the invention occupies little space, has low weight and consequently can be transported as conveniently as a large typewriter.

The use of two motors of small dimensions, instead of the heretofore usual single driving motor, simplifies the construction of the machine, so that there is even sufficient space to accommodate a keyboard, known per se, with its extensive lever system. Instead of the keyboard, the known handwheel adjustment for the selection of the types may, of course, be provided, in which case advantageously the rotary movement of the type carriers is efiected by means of a separate electric motor.

According to a preferred embodiment, all the driving and machine elements, with the exception of the type adjuster and the address-printing plate holder, are covered by a casing hood. This casing hood not only protects the mechanism from dust, but also prevents spattering of oil or grease while the machine is running.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing with reference to a keyboard embossing machine with electric drive. In this drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the machine, partly in section and FIG. 2 shows a plan of the machine according to FIG. 1, with the casing hood cut open.

The drawing shows only those machine parts which are necessary for the explanation of the invention. Known devices are merely indicated or are omitted.

Built on a base plate or base frame 1 is a yoke 2, be tween the side walls of which disc-shaped type carriers 3 and 3' are keyed to vertical shafts 4 and 4', journalled in cross-members 5 and 5' of the yoke 2. Mounted on each of the shafts 4 and 4' is a gearwheel 6 and 6'. These gearwheels 6 and 6' in their turn mesh with gearwheels 7 and 7' mounted on a common shaft 8. The gearwheel 7' meshes with a driving wheel 10 keyed to a motor shaft 9. By means of a clutch 12 adapted to be operated by keys 11, the shaft 9 can be connected to a driving motor 13 actuating the type carriers and which may be secured to the yoke 2.

Furthermore, journalled on the upper end of the yoke 2 is a spindle 14 carrying a double lever 15. This lever 15 rests by one arm 15 on a push-rod 16, adapted to slide up and down in a guide in the cross-member 5. The

Patented 5 ept. 26, 1961 push rod 16 abuts with its lower end against a type 17 in the upper type carrier 3. Pivoted to the end of the other arm 15" of the double lever 15 is a link 18, which isconnected to another double lever 19 pivoted on a pin 20 mounted on the cross-member 5'. The lower arm 19 of the double lever 19 is connected by a pull rod 21 to a crank 22 mounted on a shaft 23 journalled in the yoke 2. The shaft 23 is connected to a driving shaft 25, carrying a belt pulley 26, by means of a disengageable coupling 24, constructed as a single-revolution clutch. From the belt pulley 26 on the shaft 25 a driving belt passes to a driving pulley 28 of a motor 27 which is mounted on the base plate 1 and initiates the embossing operation.

Mounted on the cross-member 5' at the front of the machine is a holder 29 for the address-printing plate 30, guide rods 31 being provided for the displacement of the holder.

Below this holder is provided a keyboard, known per se, by means of which the couplings 12 and 24 can be operated by known transmission means, not shown. Connected to the lower arm 19 of the double lever 19 is a ramp pull-rod 34 adapted to raise and lower the lower push rod 16 guided in the cross-member 5'.

With the exception of the keyboard and the holder 29 for the address plate 30, the entire mechanism of the embossing machine is covered by a casing hood 32, placed on the base plate 1. If the machine is to be started, an address plate 30 is first clamped in the holder 29, and then the necessary key of the keyboard 11 for the character to be embossed is depressed. This key then engages the clutch 12 (FIG. 1) and the motor 13 now rotates, by means of the gearwheels 10, 7, 6' and he means of the shaft 8, the gearwheels 7 and 6 in synchronism and hence also the type carriers 3 and 3' until the desired embossing types 17 and 17' have arrived at the embossing position of the address plate, as determined by the push rods 16 and 16. The clutch is then disengaged again, and the one-revolution clutch 24 (FIG. 2) is engaged by a rod gear or electric transmission, not shown. The shaft 23 is thereby rotated once by the motor 27 via the belt drive 28, 26, the result of which is that the crank 22 during the revolution mcvesthe pull rod 21 in the direction of the arrow 33 (FIG. 1) and hence rocks the double lever 19 until its upper arm comes into the extended position with the link 18. The double lever 15 is thereby likewise rocked, so that the end of its left arm 15' strikes the push-rod 16, thereby depressing the upper type 17. At the same time, the ramp pull-rod 34- pushes the pushrod 16' upwardly and hence also presses the type 17 from below against the address plate 30. Embossing of a character is in the address-printing plate is thus effected. Thereupon, the parts 17, 17', 16, 16, 15, 18, 19, 22 and 34, after completion of one revolution of the crank 22, then return to their starting positions.

The present embodiment also includes type carriers with horizontal axes.

We claim:

1. In a machine for embossing printing plates, in combination, a machine base plate, a keyboard carried on said base plate, a framework secured to said base plate, two rotatable die carrier disks mounted on said framework in concentric alinement and capable of being turned in a horizontal plane, a printing plate carrier slidably arranged on said framework between said carrier disks, first means adapted to rotate said carrier disks in synchronism to bring dies to an embossing position in accordance with a depressed key of the keyboard, second means to force the opposing dies of the carrier disks at said position in opposite directions against said printing plate, a first electric motor for driving said first means and a second electric motor for driving the second means.

2. A machine for embossing printing plates agcorilng 3 to claim 1 in which said keyboard, said framework, said first means, said second means, said first motor and said second motor are all arranged on the same side of, and above, said base plate. r

3. A machine for embossing printing plates according to claim 1 in which said second means consists' of a crank rotated by the second motor, a first lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends connected to said crank at one end, a second lever connected to the other end of said first lever, a first pressure member operated by the second lever for moving one of said opposing dies, 3. second pressure member for moving the other of said opposing dies, and a pull rod connected to said first lever and provided with an anvil for moving the second pressure member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

